Mike Heitmann, Auctioneer/Owner of MH Bar Auctions was exposed to the auction industry as a child. His dad owned a Scrap/Salvage Yard and Oilfield Salvage Company in Cut Bank, MT. Mike would go with his dad to Auction Sales and quickly picked up on the nuances of the auction business. He started working the floor for Gardner’s Auction in Missoula Montana, while attending the University of Montana in 1981. Mike soon discovered he had a knack for bid calling and with the mentoring of his boss, Kevin Gardner, it wasn’t long before he was on the auction block selling at the weekly sales.
Upon graduation from college, Mike accepted a commission in the United States Marine Corps and went on to fly CH 53 Helicopters until 1993. During that period he worked where he could as a Contract Auctioneer to keep his skills strong. Upon discharge from Active Duty, Mike returned to Montana, bought his dad’s business and started putting on Auctions in the local area. Since he was still in the Marine Reserves, on September 11th, 2001, he was recalled to active duty and stationed at NORAD/USNORTHCOM in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
He resumed his job as a Contract Auctioneer and worked for some of the largest Auction Companies in Colorado. After retirement from the Marines as a Lieutenant Colonel in 2005, Mike put the business in Montana up for sale, bought his current property at Calhan, Colorado and re-established MH Bar Auction as an LLC in the State of Colorado.
MEMBERSHIPS
- National Auctioneers Association
- Colorado Auctioneers Association
- Montana Auctioneers Association
AWARDS
- 2001 Montana Auctioneers Association Second Runner Up Bid Caller
- 2004 Colorado Auctioneers Association First Runner Up Bid Caller
- 2006 Colorado Auctioneers Association First Runner Up Bid Caller
- 2007 Montana Auctioneers Association Champion Bid Caller
- 2007 Colorado Auctioneers Association Champion Bid Caller
- 2007 Colorado Auctioneers Association Award of Excellence in Auction Marketing / Two color brochure, Farm & Ranch
Cynthia Heitmann, Office Manger/Owner of MH Bar Auctions is Mike’s wife and partner since 1984. A former Professional Barrel Racer, she now manages the books and office for MH Bar Auctions. On sale day she is the busiest person around making sure the books are right and the customers satisfied. She is an expert in the details of a sale and can always be found with a cheerful face to take care of all of your Auction questions.
Stephen and Matthew Heitmann, Mike and Cynthia’s young sons, can always be found helping during our sales. Whether it is assisting the office, bid spotting, shuttling clerking sheets, or hauling items to your cars, these two young lads are part of our current and future Auction Team. In 2007, at a mere 11 years of age, Stephen won the Montana Auctioneers Association Rookie Bid Caller Award.